The creators of Absolver return with another unique take on the fighting game genre, where every time you die you get older.
Video games offer a variety of punishments for failure, from being reincarnated a few feet from where you left off to losing every inch of progress you’ve gained up until that point. In Sifu though, when you lose you get older; you start the game as a lithe young martial artist but if you manage to beat the game it’ll likely be as a wrinkled old OAP. Although that is a pretty big if.
Sifu (a Chinese term for a skilled person or teacher) is the second game by French studio Sloclap, who released the similarly unique fighting game Absolver in 2017. For better and worse, Sifu has a lot in common with that game, including a sky high difficulty level that demands a level of dedication that many are going to be unwilling to provide.
Absolver was already compared to Dark Souls, when it first came out, and Sifu requires a similar approach in terms of carefully learning its systems and never letting your guard down for a moment. Sifu leans into this mentality by connecting it to the dedication needed to learn martial arts for real, something which almost feels like it would be easier than playing the game.
Oldboy has clearly been a major inspiration for Sifu, including a brazen recreation of the movie’s famous hallway scene, but the actual plot is just a generic revenge story about taking down five kung fu masters who killed your father. None of them are given any real characterisation though, and neither is your protagonist, so it’s very hard to care about any of them. Which is a shame given the obvious metaphor of wasting a whole life on revenge.
The visuals have the same drab, minimalist look as Absolver – although at least not everyone is wearing masks this time. There is a stark attraction to the graphics but it’s clear that the focus here is on the gameplay and little else, so it’s a good job that the combat system is both original and highly satisfying.
Although it’s become a cliché to compare any game with an above average level of difficulty to Dark Souls, there are definitely some similarities here with FromSoftware’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Like any From game, even low level enemies in Sifu can defeat you in a couple of attacks but while your moves are made up of ordinary light and heavy attacks the core of Sifu’s combat revolves around the concept of structure, which works similarly to Sekiro’s posture mechanic.
You and your opponents each have a structure meter which is reduced as you use defensive moves, until it’s impossible to block and you’re suddenly left wide open. Not getting to that point is the number one priority, tactically speaking, which means that defence via parries and counters is of vital importance. It’s not enough to just parry a single incoming attack though, as it may be just one part of a longer combo, each of which you’d have to defend yourself from before you get a chance to properly retaliate.
In many cases this means memorising enemy attack patterns, which is not something you’re going to do on your first go – hence the idea of repeating a section when you’re older. You can use a standard dodge to just get out of the way though and, conversely, if you know what to expect from the enemies, you can simply duck and turn out of the way, while remaining in the same spot – which helps to build your structure meter back up.
The only downside to the combat system is that offensive moves can seem a little basic by comparison, at least in terms of the inputs needed to use them. Although this is largely offset by being able to use objects around you, from kicking a chair at someone to using a mop as a staff. Just as you’d see in a proper kung fu movie, the environment itself is vitally important, as you slide over tables and jump onto higher floors to avoid opponents.
There are two things we need to emphasise at this point, the first being that as cool as all that sounds Sifu is a punishingly difficult game. We do not name drop FromSoftware by accident and while the combat itself is not that similar the speed with which you can be killed, and the knowingly unfair odds you face, most certainly are. All the enemies are worryingly competent and they absolutely will gang up on you, often with little clue as to who will attack first.
The second issue is that the whole aging concept is just as odd in practice as it sounds in theory. The idea is that the older you get the more attack power you gain, while your maximum health decreases. When you die you can also spend experience points on new skills and combos, although some are only available up to a certain age. There are lots of other unnecessary caveats and complications like that, including buying the same skill five times to unlock it permanently and shrines that can increase both your stats and unlock perks.
All of this is presented in as confusing a manner as possible and because Sifu is essentially a rougelite, where you loose permanently if you get to the age of 70, it becomes horribly confusing trying to remember which moves and abilities you still have access to, after starting again. That would have been less of a problem if the game wasn’t so punishingly difficult, but it is and it all becomes just too much.
On a more prosaic level the third person camera is awful in tight spaces, so you don’t even get to say that every failure is your own fault – because sometimes it’s not. Sifu has a great combat system but the game that’s been constructed around it is badly flawed. Everyone has a different limit when it comes to difficulty, but because Sifu comes at you from two completely separate angles it ends up asking too much of its players for too little reward.
Sifu review summary
In Short: As a straight action game the core combat is elegant and original but the roguelite structure makes the already mountainous difficulty just too much to bear.
Pros: An excellent combat system that really does feel like you’re taking part in your own martial arts movie, with challenging opponents and some memorable set pieces.
Cons: The roguelite elements are an unwanted hassle on top of the high difficultly, especially given the confusing upgrade system. The camera is awful in tight spaces and the storytelling very weak.
Score: 6/10
Formats: PlayStation 5 (reviewed), PlayStation 4, and PC
Price: £32.99
Publisher: Sloclap
Developer: Sloclap
Release Date: 8th February 2022
Age Rating: 16
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